Sr Manager | Director - Media Planning

Overview

Senior Manager or Director role in the Global Operations Centre (GOC) at WPP Media, leading integrated media planning operations and campaign planning deliverables across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

What you'll do

• Lead end-to-end planning operations across multiple campaigns, brands, or markets while ensuring consistency in quality, timelines, and strategic output.
• Support Associate Directors and market stakeholders in developing integrated media planning recommendations aligned with business and campaign objectives.
• Act as a key escalation point for operational and planning-related challenges across the team.
• Drive excellence in campaign planning deliverables, including audience strategy, channel allocation, forecasting, reporting frameworks, and post-campaign analysis.
• Collaborate closely with Activation, Ad Operations, Analytics, and Client Servicing teams to ensure seamless execution of media plans.
• Ensure planning best practices, governance standards, and documentation processes are consistently followed across the team.
• Support implementation and adoption of planning tools, automation solutions, and operational efficiencies.
• Monitor team productivity, delivery quality, and workload allocation to ensure optimal operational performance.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and developmental guidance to Managers, Senior Executives, and Executives.
• Contribute to capability-building initiatives, knowledge-sharing forums, and process improvement projects.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team culture focused on accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.

What you'll need

• 6 plus years of experience in media planning, integrated communications planning, or digital strategy roles, preferably within a global agency environment.
• Strong understanding of integrated media channels including digital, social, search, commerce, video, programmatic, impact buys and other non biddable emerging media.
• Proven experience managing teams in a fast-paced offshore/onshore delivery setup.
• Experience handling multi-market campaigns and collaborating with global stakeholders.
• Strong operational mindset with experience managing workflows, quality standards, and process governance.
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking capabilities with a data-driven approach to planning and optimization.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively.
• Experience with media planning tools, reporting dashboards, and planning frameworks.
• Strong presentation and storytelling capabilities.
• Ability to identify process improvement opportunities and drive operational efficiencies.
• Strong coaching and people management skills with experience developing high-performing teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a dynamic environment.

Details

• Locations: Bangalore, India; Gurgaon, India.
• Hybrid approach with teams in the office around four days a week.